Mumbai: BMC’s action taken report on 218 schools lacks action

Following several complaints and repeated reminders for an lsquoaction taken reportrsquo against 218 private primary schools under the jurisdiction of the civic body operating without RTE approval the BMCrsquos Education Department has finally submitted its report stating that they have written to these schools from time to time to renew their RTE approvalsActivists have criticised the state Education Department and BMC for failing to take appropriate action and have alleged the civic Education Department is playing down the matter The activists have now threatened to move the court against the state Education Department and the BMCIn response to wardwise information sought by NGO Maharashtra Rajya Vidyarthi Palak Shikshak Mahasangh Maharashtra State StudentParent Teacher Federation through RTI queries in January the BMC had revealed that 218 private unaided primary schools across the city have failed to get their RTE recognitionapproval renewed The story was first reported by midday in its March 16 2023 editionIn the action taken report submitted to the director of education primary and deputy director of school education Mumbai BMCrsquos deputy education officer private primary schools section Indrasinh Kadakoti stated ldquoRecognition extension of recognition and grantinaid to the primary schools Std I to IV run by private institutions in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area is mandatory No school will be allowed to be functional without the approval of the state government or local authority It is mandatory to obtain the approval certificate under RTE There are 678 recognised private primary unaided schools in the BMC jurisdiction The 218 schools have not renewed their specimen 2 certificate approval These schools were sent letters by the BMC Education Department from time to time regarding renewal of approval These schools have all other documents and cannot be termed as unauthorised Therefore it would not be appropriate to declare these schools as unauthorised and take action against themrdquoAccording to Nitin Dalvi who is representing the NGO ldquoThe Director of Education Primary Sharad Gosavi had instructed the deputy director of Mumbai Division to investigate and submit a report in this matter The deputy director of education had in turn directed the BMC Education Officer to enquire and submit a report It was also directed to investigate and submit an action taken report regarding criminal action taken against the officials responsible for the negligence However BMC Education Department sent a dubious abstract and meaningless report to cover their negligence and inaction against the 218 schools flouting RTE normsrdquoPrasad Tulaskar another activist working with the NGO said that the report says nothing about the action taken by the BMC Education Department against the schools running without RTE approval since 2016 ldquoThe civic body has instead informed that letters have been sent to these schools from time to time and also submitted that these schools could not be declared unauthorised The civic education departmentrsquos report does not mention if there were any safety inspections conducted in these schools It has submitted such a report to hide its incompetence and support these 218 private schools as it has failed to implement the RTE Act since 2016rdquo Tulaskar saidUnder RTE 25 per cent of the total seats are reserved for the socioeconomically weaker sections of society The schools are expected to provide free education to these children and claim reimbursement from central as well as state governmentsAlso the act requires all schools to adhere to 10 infrastructure standards such as a compound wall toilets drinking water playgrounds etc Every three years the schools must submit application for an extensionrenewal of recognition or accreditation Following the RTE Actrsquos introduction a schoolrsquos recognition is only renewed if it has met these 10 standards Failing to get the renewal schools could be fined R10000 per day until they meet the norms and for running the school in the absence of recognition The management of these schools will also have to pay a penalty of Rs1 lakh The BMC is the statutory body issuing the recognition certificate for primary schoolsldquoThe BMC and state education departments have failed to implement the RTE Act and schools are openly flouting norms They will not answer these questions in court We have already begun the process of filing a Public Interest Litigation PIL against the Education Departmentrdquo Dalvi addedWhen contacted Raju Tadvi BMC education officer primary schools was not available for comment25 per centSeats reserved for economically weaker sectionsSchools on the listSome of the prominent schools on the list of 218 include Anandilal Podar high school Santacruz Raje Shivaji Primary School Dadar St Michaelrsquos High School Mahim St Andrewrsquos High School primary section Bandra St Aloysiusrsquo Primary School Santacruz The Alexandra Girlsrsquo English Institution Fort Gloria Convent High School Byculla St Pius X High School Nahur Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya Borivali Rustomjee Troopers Dahisar VPMrsquos Vidya Mandir primary school Dahisar